An award-winning carer has been given a three-year driving ban after admitting a hit-and-run and other driving offences in Keith and Aberdeen this year.
Caledonia Homecare director, Alasdair Imrie, 53, appeared at Aberdeen Sheriff Court to plead guilty to a string of motoring offences, including driving without a licence, insurance and leaving the scene of an accident.
He also admitted failing to give a breath test after being stopped twice this year, claiming police were infringing his human rights.
The court heard Imrie, now of Clifton Manor in Aberdeen, had driven his minibus into a parked car on Keith’s Moss Street on March 30 this year then left the scene without leaving his details.
‘He said it was against his human rights’
Fiscal depute Georgina Laird told the court that Imrie had been seen entering a car park on Moss Street and collided with the parked car at around 7.30pm.
She said: “Later the same day he was asked to give a breath test and refused to do so. He said it was against his human rights.”
In a separate incident, Imrie was stopped on the A96 Huntly to Aberdeen Road at the Kinellar Roundabout, this time providing a breath test, but “essentially over-blowing” so the reading could not be attained.
Defence counsel, Kevin Longino said Imrie had tried to give a breath test, but “over-blew” into the machine and a reading was unable to be taken.
He said Imrie was now unemployed and was suffering from anxiety and depression, adding: “He has a problem with alcohol and was self-medicating himself with that.
“These offences came about as a consequence of his underlying medical condition of diabetes and a hypo-glycaemic incident in March.”
‘I note you have sought treatment with that’
Imrie’s minibus was seized following the hit-and-run and the court heard that the daily rate for storage was £150.
Mr Longino argued that this was now Imrie’s only asset and that a forfeiture order should be forgone because it had been renovated inside with a stove and seating. He said: “It is going to be used as a community meeting place.”
On sentencing Imrie, Sheriff Margaret Hodge said: “I have taken into account all that has been said on your behalf, particularly the difficulties you have experienced in relation to your health and your background with problems with alcohol. I note that you have sought treatment with that.”
Imrie was banned from driving for three years and ordered to pay £1,075 in fines and was admonished on the hit-and-run charge and charges of failing to co-operate with police or give a breath test.
Imrie’s listing on Companies House shows he is the only listed director of Caledonia Homecare Limited – the business won Best Home Healthcare Provider in Scotland in 2021 in the Scotland Prestige Awards.